MT Helmets announces its entry into the US market, on the same weekend as the Americas GP
MT Helmets, currently present in over 125 countries, chose the GP event to announce its ambitious project that will start this year: the launch of MT Helmets in the North American market.
The new generation of MT Helmets offer an unbeatable safety-price ratio, a compelling advantage as it enters the demanding American market.
The commercial team introducing the brand to the US will be led by Spanish rider Xavi Forés, who will play a crucial role in this project.
After many years of significant international growth, MT Helmets has yet to tackle the challenge of marketing its products in one of the world’s most competitive markets.
This demanding project required having everything tightly secured, showcasing a product portfolio through which the brand could offer a distinct value, and being represented in the best possible way.
With everything ready and organized for MT Helmets’ entry into the United States, the MotoGP World Championship’s stop in Texas offered the perfect occasion to announce it.
Next-Generation Helmets
The products developed by MT Helmets are continuously evolving, and their latest generation of helmets reaches an exceptionally high level in terms of safety, finishes, product design, and quality.
All this is made possible by the product development team, the engineering team, and the graphic designers, all based at MT Helmets’ headquarters in Cartagena. The Spanish company’s products meet the most demanding European standards.
Xavi Forés, In Charge of the Project
The brand marketing in the United States will be led by Xavi Forés, a Spanish rider with a long international career who has regularly competed in the Superbike World Championship. In 2023, he was a key figure in the American AMA Superbikes Championship, where he clinched the Superport championship.
Forés has gained a deep understanding of the American market and is eager to lead the brand’s launch in the USA.
Xavi Fores on the grid at the 2024 Daytona 200. Photo courtesy MT Helmets.
Statements
XAVI FORÉS
“For me, it is a great honor to represent a Spanish brand in this country and to lead its commercial expansion. Since getting to know the brand deeply, I have been incredibly impressed by the high quality of its products, which I have also experienced first-hand as a rider. I participated in Daytona 200 using a KRE+ helmet, which left me with a fantastic impression.
All of the national distributors we have provided with product samples over these first months share my feeling. In every case, we have received excellent acceptance of the helmet and a strong interest in their sales, so we are confident that this project will be a success.”
JAVIER TOMÁS
CEO of MT Helmets
“We have wanted to enter the US market for many years, but we wanted to do so with the certainty of having a winning project. Our products are becoming more competitive every day and our sales are increasing in the more than 125 countries where we are present, so we are sure that they will also be well accepted in this country.
The truth is that we needed a key figure in this project and we have found in Xavi Forés an excellent leader of the project, so we are convinced that the time has come to enter the USA and grow there with MT Helmets.”
Troy Herfoss came from behind to win MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Race One Saturday at Circuit of The Americas, in Austin, Texas.
Herfoss was as far back as sixth mid-race on his S&S Indian Challenger, but the reigning Australian Superbike Champion pushed forward as the race went on and passed both his teammate Tyler O’Hara and Harley-Davidson Factory Racing’s Kyle Wyman on the last lap to claim his first victory in the class.
Wyman out braked O’Hara into Turn 11 on the final lap to take the lead, but Wyman fell victim to an aggressive pass by Herfoss and had to settle for the runner-up spot on his Road Glide.
O’Hara, the pole-sitter, led every lap except the last lap and finished third.
Maverick Vinales captured pole position during MotoGP World Championship qualifying Saturday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas.
Riding his factory Aprilia RS-GP, the Spaniard lapped the 20-turn, 3.4-mile (5.5 km) road course in 2:00.864, topping the field of 22 riders and breaking the All-Time Lap Record of 2:01.397 Jorge Martin set on Friday afternoon.
Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta was the best of the rest with a 2:01.192 on his Red Bull Tech3 GASGAS, and six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez earned the third and final spot on the front row with a time of 2:01.266 on his Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP23.
Defending MotoGP World Champion Francesco Bagnaia qualified fourth with a 2:01.352 on his Levono Ducati Desmosidici GP24, Bagnaia’s teammate Enea Bastianini was fifth-fastest at 2:01.439, and Jorge Martin (2:01.511) claimed the sixth spot on the grid in spite of crashing his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati twice Saturday morning.
The MotoGP Tissot Sprint race is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. Central Time/Local Time.
All-time classic: dramatic COTA Q2 sees Viñales supreme ahead of Acosta & Marquez
Top spot for Top Gun as Martin crashes twice, Acosta takes his first front row, Marquez denies Bagnaia and Binder faces a fight back in Texas
Maverick Vinales (12). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 13 April 2024
Qualifying for the 2024 Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas was a true classic, with a dash of drama and a dash of magic creating an incredible grid for lights out in Austin. On pole position is Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), who smashed the lap record set on Friday by half a second to carve out his own postcode at the front, three tenths clear in Q2. His pole lap is also a second quicker than pole in 2023. In second is rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), who takes his first premier class front row as his pace in Austin continues to awe. And completing that front row is eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) after his first qualifying top three with Ducati, aiming for an eighth win at COTA.
Just behind the #93 on the timesheets is reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), but sat directly behind him, with the #93 blocking his view up to Turn 1, is Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) in P6. There were two crashes for the #89 in Q2.
Q1
The first qualifying session was packed full of contenders looking for a way through, not least of all Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder – second in the Championship heading into COTA. The South African’s session didn’t get off to the best start as he slid off in a low drama crash though, leaving him in a race against time to get back out and move up the grid.
Once everyone was back out for that final push, it was close as ever. Red sectors lit up the timing screens and none more so than for Binder’s teammate Jack Miller, with the Australian wrestling his RC16 round to take over on top – tucked in behind the South African on track too. For Binder it wasn’t to be though, and he’ll start P17 for both showdowns at COTA.
Miller’s final challenge came from Alex Marquez as the Gresini Racing MotoGP™ rider took the second place in Q2, just 0.012 off the Australian but that enough to move through into the fight for pole.
Q2
12 riders, one pole position, and plenty of simmering rivalries. Q2 delivered an immediate small dash of drama for Championship leader Martin as he slid out from just ahead of Marc Marquez, but the number 89 was able to pick it back up and carry on. Marquez then went on to put in a fast one too, but it wasn’t the fastest. That first honour went to Viñales, with the Aprilia slamming in a 2:01.243 to better MM93’s first effort by just 0.023. There would be no foregone conclusion.
Once Martin had picked it up and hit the gas again though, he was motoring in the first sector. But then there was more drama for the points leader, with the Pramac sliding off again at Turn 18. Rider ok once again, but this time it was a race against time to head back to the paddock to try and reset on his second machine.
Back out on track, the session belonged to Top Gun. After duelling Martin for Friday honours and just coming up short, Viñales had a big reply on Saturday. The #12 Aprilia shot round COTA for a new all-time record, shaving nearly half a second off Martin’s record set earlier in the weekend. Gauntlet thrown, statement made, and pole position surely secured.
In the end, it was. Martin couldn’t make another splash to take on the front row, Bagnaia came up short, and Acosta’s own best effort is a stunning statement in itself for a rookie, but it’s still 0.328 off Viñales – the lone star under the 2:00 barrier at COTA. Marquez had one final shot at it, seconds to spare over the line and with yellow flags gone, but after already having hammered it earlier on the same run, there was no more magic left in the tank. In this session, at least. During the rest of the weekend? Stay tuned.
THE GRID
Behind that Viñales – Acosta – Marquez front row teasing enough action in itself, there’s even more waiting in the wings. Bagnaia is one behind Marc Marquez on the timesheets but on track, he’s on the opposite side of the grid, lined up behind pole. He has teammate Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) alongside him, and then completing that second row – right behind Marc Marquez on the road – sits Martin.
Row 3 is Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) despite a crash near the end of Q2, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Mandalika VR46 Racing Team) and Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) alongside. Then comes Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Mandalika VR46 Racing Team) after a spill at T1, ahead of Miller and Alex Marquez in P11 and P12.
Then it’s Trackhouse Racing’s Raul Fernandez and Miguel Oliveira, who just missed the cut in Q1, lining up P13 and P14 for the team’s first ever home GP. Two-time MotoGP™ COTA winner Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) slots into P15, just ahead of teammate Fabio Quartararo, whose Q1 was also cut short by a low drama crash at Turn 1 on his final lap. Then comes Binder, searching for some serious progress once the lights go out as he looks to thread the needle from P17. And stop Martin’s lead growing -– unless someone else does that for him.
The lights go out for the first time on Saturday at 15:00 (UTC-5), before Sunday’s Grand Prix race gets underway at 14:00. It’s almost a guarantee there’ll be some history made this weekend, so do not miss a minute – we’ll save you a seat.
Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta was quickest in MotoGP Practice Two (P2) Saturday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas.
Riding his Red Bull Tech3 GASGAS racebike, the reigning Moto2 World Champion covered the 3.4-mile (5.5 km) course in 2:02.243 to lead the field of 22 riders.
Defending MotoGP World Champion Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia was second-best with a time of 2:02.414 on his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP24, while six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez was third at 2:02.440 on his Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP23.
The top 14 riders in the session were separated by less than one second.
Fermin Aldeguer was fastest during Moto2 World Championship Practice Two (P2) Saturday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas.
Riding his Beta Tools SpeedUp Boscoscuro racebike, the young Spaniard turned a lap time of 2:07.543 around the 3.4-mile (5.5 km) circuit. Not only did that time top the field of 29 riders, it smashed the new All-Time Lap Record of 2:08.359 Aldeguer set Friday afternoon.
Japan’s Ai Ogura was the best of the rest and right behind Aldeguer with a 2:07.569 on his MT Helmets – MSI Boscoscuro, and Brit Jake Dixon was third-quickest with a 2:07.751 on his CFMOTO Asterius Aspar Team Kalex.
American Joe Roberts was fifth-fastest in the session with a 2:07.889 — just 0.346 second slower than Aldeguer — on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Roberts’ teammate Marcos Ramirez (2:07.766) finished the session just ahead of him in fourth.
WILDCARD OUTINGS SCHEDULED FOR DANI PEDROSA AND POL ESPARGARO IN 2024 MOTOGP™
2024 MotoGP news
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing pitlane presence will grow in the forthcoming rounds of 2024 Grand Prix with MotoGP Legend Dani Pedrosa competing for the second year in a row at the Gran Premio de España (round four, Jerez, April 26-28) and Pol Espargaro lined-up to race the KTM RC16 at the Gran Premio d’Italia (round seven, Mugello, May 31-June 2).
KTM’s test team have identified key dates for race appearances as part of their 2024 work schedule, and to continue development with the KTM RC16 both for the rest of the current season and with a view to 2025 and beyond.
Pedrosa, who wowed fans with his performances in Jerez and Misano in 2023, will ride again this year, at the Circuit de Jerez Angel Nieto in two weeks. Pedrosa finished 6th in the Sprint and 7th in the race almost twelve months ago at the same event, crossing the finish line just six seconds behind the Grand Prix winner. He then excelled in Italy with a 4th place. Dani, 38, retired in 2018 from full-time MotoGP but has since raced three times for KTM.
Espargaro, in his first year as a test rider for the company, is eager to return at one of the championship’s fastest and most picturesque circuits and the traditional host of the Italian Grand Prix during the first weekend of June. KTM set the current MotoGP top speed record at 366.1kpm (227mph) at the venue and Pol has a best finish of 9th in Tuscany but has two wins and a total of four podiums in other GP categories.
Dani Pedrosa: “I had a lot of fun at Jerez last year and the welcome from the fans was amazing. We all know Jerez is a special place. For us it will also be important to use some references for our tests and put it into the race environment again. This is the main reason to compete in 2024.”
Pol Espargaro. Photo courtesy KTM Factory Racing.
Pol Espargaro: “Really happy to be racing again and especially at Mugello, which is a very special place to get on a MotoGP bike. It will be cool to be back on the grid with the guys. Testing has been going really well and I’m very motivated. I am more like my ‘old self’ after the injury of 2023. I’m looking forward to being right back into the MotoGP ‘family’ and showing that our testing work is strong and fast.”
David Alonso continued his domination of the Moto3 class at Circuit of The Americas by breaking a longstanding All-Time Lap Record during Practice Two (P2) on Saturday morning.
Riding his CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team machine, the Colombian turned a best lap time of 2:14.153. Not only did that time top the 26 riders in the session, it also broke the All-Time Moto3 Lap Record of 2:14.644, which was set by Aron Canet way back in 2017.
Canet still holds the Race Lap Record at 2:15.583…at least until Sunday.
Australian Superbike Champion Troy Herfoss led the MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers warmup session Saturday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas.
On just his second day ever riding at COTA, Herfoss improved on the 2:15.576 he did on his S&S Indian Challenger during Qualifying Two (Q2) on Friday with a 2:15.258 on Saturday morning and led the field of 12 riders.
Bobby Fong was second-best with a 2:15.533 on his SDI/Roland Sands Racing Indian, and Kyle Wyman was third in the warmup with a 2:15.707 on his Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Road Glide.
The top five riders in the session were separated by just 0.7 second.
Mission King Of The Baggers Race One is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. Central Time and Race Two is scheduled to run at 4:05 p.m. The races can be best viewed on MotoAmerica Live+, MotoAmerica’s digital streaming subscription service, but they can also be seen on MAVTV, FS1, MTRSPRT1, and YouTube.
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 28th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 13 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2024 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Sponsors: Robem Engineering, Aprilia, Arai, American Supercamp, Penguin Racing School, MotoLiberty/RS Taichi, Woodcraft Technologies, Atlantic Cruising Yachts, Fast By Ferracci, Stump Racing Kids.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2023 season, qualified 6th in MotoAmerica Twins Cup at Daytona and then was injured for most of the season, returned for season finale at New Jersey Motorsports Park and finished 4th and 5th in the races, finished 14th in 100th Loudon Classic riding an Aprilia RS 660 versus Supersport-class machines; 2022 season, placed 8th in MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship (3 podium finishes), finished 8th in Italian CIV Aprilia RS 660 Trophy Cup race at Vallelunga, set a new NEMRR Lightweight Lap Record of 1:12.183 at New Hampshire International Speedway; 2021 season, finished 2nd in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (4 wins and 16 total podium finishes in 18 races); 2020 season, finished 4th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (8 podium finishes); 2019 season, finished 9th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup (competed in 11 of 17 races, 1 podium, 3 top-5 finishes), won 2 LRRS Championships (12 race wins), won NESBC Lights Championship; 2018 season, named LRRS Rookie of the Year (youngest to ever receive the award), won 24 LRRS races and earned 46 podium finishes, won NESBC Intermediate B Championship; 2017 season, named NJMiniGP Rookie of the Year.
2024 racing goal: Win MotoAmerica races.
Racing career goal: Make it to the FIM Superbike World Championship.
Racing hero: Jamison Minor.
Favorite track: Barber Motorsports Park.
Favorite hobby: Downhill mountain biking.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Downhill mountain biking.
…
Some of the riders who have graduated from Young Guns and gone on to racing success in National or International series include:
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion Jason Aguilar (R.I.P.);
2013 AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and 2022 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Corey Alexander;
AMA Pro Daytona SportBike race winner Tommy Aquino (R.I.P.);
2008 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and multi-time MotoAmerica Superbike race winner J.D. Beach;
five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion and Moto2 World Championship point scorer Cameron Beaubier;
MotoAmerica Twins Cup race winner Jackson Blackmon;
former Canadian Sport Bike Champion Tomas Casas;
three-time Canadian Sport Bike Champion and 2014 Canadian Superbike Champion Jodi Christie;
former AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 race winner Josh Day;
2011 Daytona 200 winner Jason DiSalvo;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Championship runner-up and current MotoAmerica team owner Dustin Dominguez;
2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2019 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, and 2021 Canadian Superbike Champion Alex Dumas;
four-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb race winner and former motorcycle track record holder Carlin Dunne (R.I.P.);
Canadian Superbike race winner Bodhi Edie;
two-time AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, two-time AMA Pro XR1200/Harley-Davidson Champion and four-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick;
2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Bobby Fong;
2010 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, 2015 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North America Superstock 1000 Champion, and three-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Jake Gagne;
two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and World Superbike podium finisher Garrett Gerloff;
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Championship runner-up Michael Gilbert;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Champion, 2023 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion, and 2023 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Champion Hayden Gillim;
2002 AMA Superbike Champion and 2006 FIM MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden (R.I.P.);
2007 AMA Pro 600cc Supersport Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up, and 2017 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship runner-up Roger Hayden;
eight-time AMA Pro Superbike race winner and two-time AMA Supersport Champion Tommy Hayden;
2013 AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and three-time Daytona 200 winner Josh Herrin;
MotoAmerica Supersport front-runner Teagg Hobbs;
AMA Pro Superstock race winner Jake Holden;
2011 British Superbike Championship runner-up and former MotoGP and World Superbike regular John Hopkins;
2015 Supersport World Championship runner-up, 2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Patrick “P.J.” Jacobsen;
2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, Moto2 World Championship point scorer, and MotoAmerica Superbike racer Sean Dylan Kelly;
Canadian Superbike race winner Kevin Lacombe;
two-time MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2020 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up Rocco Landers;
two-time MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Andrew Lee;
2021 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 and Superbike Cup Champion Jake Lewis;
MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Sam Lochoff;
MotoAmerica Superstock 600 race winner Nick McFadden;
AMA Pro SuperSport race winner and MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Stefano Mesa;
Elena Myers, the first and only woman to win AMA Pro Supersport races;
AMA Pro XR1200 race winner, multi-time Loudon Classic winner, and three-time BRL Champion Shane Narbonne;
2012 Canadian Superbike Championship runner-up Andrew Nelson;
2016 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Champion, 2019 British Motostar (Moto3) Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and two-time Daytona 200 winner Brandon Paasch;
2012 Daytona 200 winner and 2010 AMA Pro Supersport West Champion Joey Pascarella;
AMA Pro and Canadian National race winner and multi-time N2/WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Peris;
two-time AMA Pro SuperSport National Champion, British Supersport podium finisher, 2020 AFT Production Twins Champion, and 2023 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Championship runner-up James Rispoli;
2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport race winner, and Moto2 World Championship race winner Joe Roberts;
2022 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up and 2023 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship runner-up Gus Rodio;
former Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Champion and former FIM Moto2 European Championship competitor Benny Solis, Jr.;
three-time AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2009 Superbike World Champion, MotoGP race winner, and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Ben Spies;
multi-time AMA Pro race winner and four-time overall WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Ulrich;
MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher and former World Superbike competitor Jayson Uribe;
2017 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Championship runner-up, 2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Cory Ventura;
Canadian Superbike race winner Alex Welsh;
former AMA Pro Superbike Rookie of the Year, Chinese Superbike Championship race winner, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and MotoAmerica Super Hooligan race winner Cory West;
MotoAmerica Junior Cup and Superbike Cup race winner Ashton Yates;
and two-time AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up Blake Young.
Kawasaki’s Ninja 400 is one of the best-selling sportbikes in the world, so Kawasaki marketeers and engineers had to tread carefully when they upgraded the machine back to a full half-liter. Customers wanted more torque and power to make riding in traffic easier and more confidence-inspiring, but didn’t want to lose the light weight, flickability, and ease of operation that made the Ninja 400 so accessible to so many riders.
The 2024 Ninja 500 is, basically, a stroked version of Kawasaki’s well-sorted small-displacement Parallel-Twin four-stroke engine. The idea was to create a smooth, flat power curve. That makes it easy for beginning and entry-level riders to access the new power, enhancing their riding experience without overwhelming them.
With new bodywork, new instrumentation and a wide variety of color schemes and accessory levels, Kawasaki wants the new Ninja 500 to continue to bring riders into the sportbike fold. The company turned journalists loose on the machines for a ride through the fabled canyon roads above Pacific Coast Highway in California, and I got a chance to ride down Memory Lane as well. I not only spent years riding exactly those canyon roads in the past, but my first dedicated racebike was also a Ninja 500 from the early 1990s …
Kawasaki’s 2024 Ninja 500 is flickable and quick, easy to ride and friendly at a moderate pace. Good rubber helps overcome many of the suspension shortcomings. Photo by Kevin Wing.
Easiest to think of the new Ninja 500 as a hot-rodded Ninja 400. Engine internals have been reworked for a longer stroke to bring the displacement to 451cc. New crankshaft, new connecting rods, new flywheel, new pistons and new cams help the upsized mill spin out a claimed 51.0 horsepower at 10,000 rpm. New airbox internals help keep the power curve nice and flat, and a new assisted slipper clutch transmits power to the 6-speed transmission.
The bodywork is new, designed to create a familial relationship with the company’s supersport Ninja models and to better protect the rider from the elements. The seat is revised, the dash upgraded on the SE models. Otherwise, it’s the familiar steel trellis frame, conventional 41mm forks and a shock adjustable for preload. The only electronic rider aid is ABS.
Kawasaki hit the mark when it came to power delivery. Aided by a smooth, progressive, ridiculously easy-to-use clutch, the bike pulled away cleanly from a stop and cruised comfortably at freeway speeds, and also spun happily to the rev limiter while running up through the gears.
The riding position is spacious and vibration is minimal, and the bodywork does a reasonable job of reducing wind blast. And it might seem like a trivial point, but Kawasaki engineers fitted a larger front brake master cylinder to provide more feel at the lever. New riders need to get comfortable using the front brake, and the Ninja 500’s front brake experience helps them get used to going for that lever. And if they panic anyway, the ABS is there to save them.
Pretty much the only downside is the too-soft damping front and rear that left the bike pogo-ing over bumps and also pitching the front end back to near full-extension after letting off the brakes. It’s common among machines in this category, and there’s a cheap and easy fix. The surprisingly good Dunlop GPR-300 radials front and rear provide excellent mid-corner traction, and on smooth, sweeping turns, the Ninja 500 is stable and quick enough to be truly entertaining.
Kawasaki says the bike’s most likely customers have less than a year of riding experience, will probably not test-ride the bike, and are looking for style and ease of use on a machine that makes them feel when commuting or riding on the highway. The Ninja 500 provides more power, more accessibly, than its predecessor, and that means less riding drama overall. It’s a bike someone new to sport riding can learn on, improve and grow with. It’s good enough to make someone a performance rider for life.
Editor at Large Michael Gougis at a track day at Willow Springs International Raceway in 2006. His personal Kawasaki Ninja 500 racebike sported a homemade belly pan fashioned from roofing materials. Photo by Caliphotography.com
Moto2 racer Sergio Garcia's MT helmet at the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas. Photo courtesy MT Helmets.
MT Helmets announces its entry into the US market, on the same weekend as the Americas GP
MT Helmets, currently present in over 125 countries, chose the GP event to announce its ambitious project that will start this year: the launch of MT Helmets in the North American market.
The new generation of MT Helmets offer an unbeatable safety-price ratio, a compelling advantage as it enters the demanding American market.
The commercial team introducing the brand to the US will be led by Spanish rider Xavi Forés, who will play a crucial role in this project.
After many years of significant international growth, MT Helmets has yet to tackle the challenge of marketing its products in one of the world’s most competitive markets.
This demanding project required having everything tightly secured, showcasing a product portfolio through which the brand could offer a distinct value, and being represented in the best possible way.
With everything ready and organized for MT Helmets’ entry into the United States, the MotoGP World Championship’s stop in Texas offered the perfect occasion to announce it.
Next-Generation Helmets
The products developed by MT Helmets are continuously evolving, and their latest generation of helmets reaches an exceptionally high level in terms of safety, finishes, product design, and quality.
All this is made possible by the product development team, the engineering team, and the graphic designers, all based at MT Helmets’ headquarters in Cartagena. The Spanish company’s products meet the most demanding European standards.
Xavi Forés, In Charge of the Project
The brand marketing in the United States will be led by Xavi Forés, a Spanish rider with a long international career who has regularly competed in the Superbike World Championship. In 2023, he was a key figure in the American AMA Superbikes Championship, where he clinched the Superport championship.
Forés has gained a deep understanding of the American market and is eager to lead the brand’s launch in the USA.
Xavi Fores on the grid at the 2024 Daytona 200. Photo courtesy MT Helmets.
Statements
XAVI FORÉS
“For me, it is a great honor to represent a Spanish brand in this country and to lead its commercial expansion. Since getting to know the brand deeply, I have been incredibly impressed by the high quality of its products, which I have also experienced first-hand as a rider. I participated in Daytona 200 using a KRE+ helmet, which left me with a fantastic impression.
All of the national distributors we have provided with product samples over these first months share my feeling. In every case, we have received excellent acceptance of the helmet and a strong interest in their sales, so we are confident that this project will be a success.”
JAVIER TOMÁS
CEO of MT Helmets
“We have wanted to enter the US market for many years, but we wanted to do so with the certainty of having a winning project. Our products are becoming more competitive every day and our sales are increasing in the more than 125 countries where we are present, so we are sure that they will also be well accepted in this country.
The truth is that we needed a key figure in this project and we have found in Xavi Forés an excellent leader of the project, so we are convinced that the time has come to enter the USA and grow there with MT Helmets.”
Troy Herfoss came from behind to win MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Race One Saturday at Circuit of The Americas, in Austin, Texas.
Herfoss was as far back as sixth mid-race on his S&S Indian Challenger, but the reigning Australian Superbike Champion pushed forward as the race went on and passed both his teammate Tyler O’Hara and Harley-Davidson Factory Racing’s Kyle Wyman on the last lap to claim his first victory in the class.
Wyman out braked O’Hara into Turn 11 on the final lap to take the lead, but Wyman fell victim to an aggressive pass by Herfoss and had to settle for the runner-up spot on his Road Glide.
O’Hara, the pole-sitter, led every lap except the last lap and finished third.
Maverick Vinales captured pole position during MotoGP World Championship qualifying Saturday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas.
Riding his factory Aprilia RS-GP, the Spaniard lapped the 20-turn, 3.4-mile (5.5 km) road course in 2:00.864, topping the field of 22 riders and breaking the All-Time Lap Record of 2:01.397 Jorge Martin set on Friday afternoon.
Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta was the best of the rest with a 2:01.192 on his Red Bull Tech3 GASGAS, and six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez earned the third and final spot on the front row with a time of 2:01.266 on his Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP23.
Defending MotoGP World Champion Francesco Bagnaia qualified fourth with a 2:01.352 on his Levono Ducati Desmosidici GP24, Bagnaia’s teammate Enea Bastianini was fifth-fastest at 2:01.439, and Jorge Martin (2:01.511) claimed the sixth spot on the grid in spite of crashing his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati twice Saturday morning.
The MotoGP Tissot Sprint race is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. Central Time/Local Time.
All-time classic: dramatic COTA Q2 sees Viñales supreme ahead of Acosta & Marquez
Top spot for Top Gun as Martin crashes twice, Acosta takes his first front row, Marquez denies Bagnaia and Binder faces a fight back in Texas
Maverick Vinales (12). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 13 April 2024
Qualifying for the 2024 Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas was a true classic, with a dash of drama and a dash of magic creating an incredible grid for lights out in Austin. On pole position is Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), who smashed the lap record set on Friday by half a second to carve out his own postcode at the front, three tenths clear in Q2. His pole lap is also a second quicker than pole in 2023. In second is rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), who takes his first premier class front row as his pace in Austin continues to awe. And completing that front row is eight-time World Champion Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) after his first qualifying top three with Ducati, aiming for an eighth win at COTA.
Just behind the #93 on the timesheets is reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), but sat directly behind him, with the #93 blocking his view up to Turn 1, is Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) in P6. There were two crashes for the #89 in Q2.
Q1
The first qualifying session was packed full of contenders looking for a way through, not least of all Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder – second in the Championship heading into COTA. The South African’s session didn’t get off to the best start as he slid off in a low drama crash though, leaving him in a race against time to get back out and move up the grid.
Once everyone was back out for that final push, it was close as ever. Red sectors lit up the timing screens and none more so than for Binder’s teammate Jack Miller, with the Australian wrestling his RC16 round to take over on top – tucked in behind the South African on track too. For Binder it wasn’t to be though, and he’ll start P17 for both showdowns at COTA.
Miller’s final challenge came from Alex Marquez as the Gresini Racing MotoGP™ rider took the second place in Q2, just 0.012 off the Australian but that enough to move through into the fight for pole.
Q2
12 riders, one pole position, and plenty of simmering rivalries. Q2 delivered an immediate small dash of drama for Championship leader Martin as he slid out from just ahead of Marc Marquez, but the number 89 was able to pick it back up and carry on. Marquez then went on to put in a fast one too, but it wasn’t the fastest. That first honour went to Viñales, with the Aprilia slamming in a 2:01.243 to better MM93’s first effort by just 0.023. There would be no foregone conclusion.
Once Martin had picked it up and hit the gas again though, he was motoring in the first sector. But then there was more drama for the points leader, with the Pramac sliding off again at Turn 18. Rider ok once again, but this time it was a race against time to head back to the paddock to try and reset on his second machine.
Back out on track, the session belonged to Top Gun. After duelling Martin for Friday honours and just coming up short, Viñales had a big reply on Saturday. The #12 Aprilia shot round COTA for a new all-time record, shaving nearly half a second off Martin’s record set earlier in the weekend. Gauntlet thrown, statement made, and pole position surely secured.
In the end, it was. Martin couldn’t make another splash to take on the front row, Bagnaia came up short, and Acosta’s own best effort is a stunning statement in itself for a rookie, but it’s still 0.328 off Viñales – the lone star under the 2:00 barrier at COTA. Marquez had one final shot at it, seconds to spare over the line and with yellow flags gone, but after already having hammered it earlier on the same run, there was no more magic left in the tank. In this session, at least. During the rest of the weekend? Stay tuned.
THE GRID
Behind that Viñales – Acosta – Marquez front row teasing enough action in itself, there’s even more waiting in the wings. Bagnaia is one behind Marc Marquez on the timesheets but on track, he’s on the opposite side of the grid, lined up behind pole. He has teammate Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) alongside him, and then completing that second row – right behind Marc Marquez on the road – sits Martin.
Row 3 is Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) despite a crash near the end of Q2, with Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Mandalika VR46 Racing Team) and Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) alongside. Then comes Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Mandalika VR46 Racing Team) after a spill at T1, ahead of Miller and Alex Marquez in P11 and P12.
Then it’s Trackhouse Racing’s Raul Fernandez and Miguel Oliveira, who just missed the cut in Q1, lining up P13 and P14 for the team’s first ever home GP. Two-time MotoGP™ COTA winner Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) slots into P15, just ahead of teammate Fabio Quartararo, whose Q1 was also cut short by a low drama crash at Turn 1 on his final lap. Then comes Binder, searching for some serious progress once the lights go out as he looks to thread the needle from P17. And stop Martin’s lead growing -– unless someone else does that for him.
The lights go out for the first time on Saturday at 15:00 (UTC-5), before Sunday’s Grand Prix race gets underway at 14:00. It’s almost a guarantee there’ll be some history made this weekend, so do not miss a minute – we’ll save you a seat.
Pedro Acosta (31). Photo courtesy Red Bull Tech3 GASGAS.
Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta was quickest in MotoGP Practice Two (P2) Saturday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas.
Riding his Red Bull Tech3 GASGAS racebike, the reigning Moto2 World Champion covered the 3.4-mile (5.5 km) course in 2:02.243 to lead the field of 22 riders.
Defending MotoGP World Champion Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia was second-best with a time of 2:02.414 on his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP24, while six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez was third at 2:02.440 on his Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP23.
The top 14 riders in the session were separated by less than one second.
Fermin Aldeguer was fastest during Moto2 World Championship Practice Two (P2) Saturday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas.
Riding his Beta Tools SpeedUp Boscoscuro racebike, the young Spaniard turned a lap time of 2:07.543 around the 3.4-mile (5.5 km) circuit. Not only did that time top the field of 29 riders, it smashed the new All-Time Lap Record of 2:08.359 Aldeguer set Friday afternoon.
Japan’s Ai Ogura was the best of the rest and right behind Aldeguer with a 2:07.569 on his MT Helmets – MSI Boscoscuro, and Brit Jake Dixon was third-quickest with a 2:07.751 on his CFMOTO Asterius Aspar Team Kalex.
American Joe Roberts was fifth-fastest in the session with a 2:07.889 — just 0.346 second slower than Aldeguer — on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Roberts’ teammate Marcos Ramirez (2:07.766) finished the session just ahead of him in fourth.
WILDCARD OUTINGS SCHEDULED FOR DANI PEDROSA AND POL ESPARGARO IN 2024 MOTOGP™
2024 MotoGP news
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing pitlane presence will grow in the forthcoming rounds of 2024 Grand Prix with MotoGP Legend Dani Pedrosa competing for the second year in a row at the Gran Premio de España (round four, Jerez, April 26-28) and Pol Espargaro lined-up to race the KTM RC16 at the Gran Premio d’Italia (round seven, Mugello, May 31-June 2).
KTM’s test team have identified key dates for race appearances as part of their 2024 work schedule, and to continue development with the KTM RC16 both for the rest of the current season and with a view to 2025 and beyond.
Pedrosa, who wowed fans with his performances in Jerez and Misano in 2023, will ride again this year, at the Circuit de Jerez Angel Nieto in two weeks. Pedrosa finished 6th in the Sprint and 7th in the race almost twelve months ago at the same event, crossing the finish line just six seconds behind the Grand Prix winner. He then excelled in Italy with a 4th place. Dani, 38, retired in 2018 from full-time MotoGP but has since raced three times for KTM.
Espargaro, in his first year as a test rider for the company, is eager to return at one of the championship’s fastest and most picturesque circuits and the traditional host of the Italian Grand Prix during the first weekend of June. KTM set the current MotoGP top speed record at 366.1kpm (227mph) at the venue and Pol has a best finish of 9th in Tuscany but has two wins and a total of four podiums in other GP categories.
Dani Pedrosa: “I had a lot of fun at Jerez last year and the welcome from the fans was amazing. We all know Jerez is a special place. For us it will also be important to use some references for our tests and put it into the race environment again. This is the main reason to compete in 2024.”
Pol Espargaro. Photo courtesy KTM Factory Racing.
Pol Espargaro: “Really happy to be racing again and especially at Mugello, which is a very special place to get on a MotoGP bike. It will be cool to be back on the grid with the guys. Testing has been going really well and I’m very motivated. I am more like my ‘old self’ after the injury of 2023. I’m looking forward to being right back into the MotoGP ‘family’ and showing that our testing work is strong and fast.”
David Alonso (80), as seen at COTA earlier this season. Photo by Michael Gougis.
David Alonso continued his domination of the Moto3 class at Circuit of The Americas by breaking a longstanding All-Time Lap Record during Practice Two (P2) on Saturday morning.
Riding his CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team machine, the Colombian turned a best lap time of 2:14.153. Not only did that time top the 26 riders in the session, it also broke the All-Time Moto3 Lap Record of 2:14.644, which was set by Aron Canet way back in 2017.
Canet still holds the Race Lap Record at 2:15.583…at least until Sunday.
Australian Superbike Champion Troy Herfoss led the MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers warmup session Saturday morning at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), in Austin, Texas.
On just his second day ever riding at COTA, Herfoss improved on the 2:15.576 he did on his S&S Indian Challenger during Qualifying Two (Q2) on Friday with a 2:15.258 on Saturday morning and led the field of 12 riders.
Bobby Fong was second-best with a 2:15.533 on his SDI/Roland Sands Racing Indian, and Kyle Wyman was third in the warmup with a 2:15.707 on his Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Road Glide.
The top five riders in the session were separated by just 0.7 second.
Mission King Of The Baggers Race One is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. Central Time and Race Two is scheduled to run at 4:05 p.m. The races can be best viewed on MotoAmerica Live+, MotoAmerica’s digital streaming subscription service, but they can also be seen on MAVTV, FS1, MTRSPRT1, and YouTube.
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 28th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 13 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2024 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Sponsors: Robem Engineering, Aprilia, Arai, American Supercamp, Penguin Racing School, MotoLiberty/RS Taichi, Woodcraft Technologies, Atlantic Cruising Yachts, Fast By Ferracci, Stump Racing Kids.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2023 season, qualified 6th in MotoAmerica Twins Cup at Daytona and then was injured for most of the season, returned for season finale at New Jersey Motorsports Park and finished 4th and 5th in the races, finished 14th in 100th Loudon Classic riding an Aprilia RS 660 versus Supersport-class machines; 2022 season, placed 8th in MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship (3 podium finishes), finished 8th in Italian CIV Aprilia RS 660 Trophy Cup race at Vallelunga, set a new NEMRR Lightweight Lap Record of 1:12.183 at New Hampshire International Speedway; 2021 season, finished 2nd in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (4 wins and 16 total podium finishes in 18 races); 2020 season, finished 4th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (8 podium finishes); 2019 season, finished 9th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup (competed in 11 of 17 races, 1 podium, 3 top-5 finishes), won 2 LRRS Championships (12 race wins), won NESBC Lights Championship; 2018 season, named LRRS Rookie of the Year (youngest to ever receive the award), won 24 LRRS races and earned 46 podium finishes, won NESBC Intermediate B Championship; 2017 season, named NJMiniGP Rookie of the Year.
2024 racing goal: Win MotoAmerica races.
Racing career goal: Make it to the FIM Superbike World Championship.
Racing hero: Jamison Minor.
Favorite track: Barber Motorsports Park.
Favorite hobby: Downhill mountain biking.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Downhill mountain biking.
…
Some of the riders who have graduated from Young Guns and gone on to racing success in National or International series include:
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion Jason Aguilar (R.I.P.);
2013 AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and 2022 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Corey Alexander;
AMA Pro Daytona SportBike race winner Tommy Aquino (R.I.P.);
2008 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and multi-time MotoAmerica Superbike race winner J.D. Beach;
five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion and Moto2 World Championship point scorer Cameron Beaubier;
MotoAmerica Twins Cup race winner Jackson Blackmon;
former Canadian Sport Bike Champion Tomas Casas;
three-time Canadian Sport Bike Champion and 2014 Canadian Superbike Champion Jodi Christie;
former AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 race winner Josh Day;
2011 Daytona 200 winner Jason DiSalvo;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Championship runner-up and current MotoAmerica team owner Dustin Dominguez;
2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2019 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, and 2021 Canadian Superbike Champion Alex Dumas;
four-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb race winner and former motorcycle track record holder Carlin Dunne (R.I.P.);
Canadian Superbike race winner Bodhi Edie;
two-time AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, two-time AMA Pro XR1200/Harley-Davidson Champion and four-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick;
2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Bobby Fong;
2010 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, 2015 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North America Superstock 1000 Champion, and three-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Jake Gagne;
two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and World Superbike podium finisher Garrett Gerloff;
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Championship runner-up Michael Gilbert;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Champion, 2023 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion, and 2023 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Champion Hayden Gillim;
2002 AMA Superbike Champion and 2006 FIM MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden (R.I.P.);
2007 AMA Pro 600cc Supersport Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up, and 2017 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship runner-up Roger Hayden;
eight-time AMA Pro Superbike race winner and two-time AMA Supersport Champion Tommy Hayden;
2013 AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and three-time Daytona 200 winner Josh Herrin;
MotoAmerica Supersport front-runner Teagg Hobbs;
AMA Pro Superstock race winner Jake Holden;
2011 British Superbike Championship runner-up and former MotoGP and World Superbike regular John Hopkins;
2015 Supersport World Championship runner-up, 2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Patrick “P.J.” Jacobsen;
2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, Moto2 World Championship point scorer, and MotoAmerica Superbike racer Sean Dylan Kelly;
Canadian Superbike race winner Kevin Lacombe;
two-time MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2020 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up Rocco Landers;
two-time MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Andrew Lee;
2021 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 and Superbike Cup Champion Jake Lewis;
MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Sam Lochoff;
MotoAmerica Superstock 600 race winner Nick McFadden;
AMA Pro SuperSport race winner and MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Stefano Mesa;
Elena Myers, the first and only woman to win AMA Pro Supersport races;
AMA Pro XR1200 race winner, multi-time Loudon Classic winner, and three-time BRL Champion Shane Narbonne;
2012 Canadian Superbike Championship runner-up Andrew Nelson;
2016 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Champion, 2019 British Motostar (Moto3) Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and two-time Daytona 200 winner Brandon Paasch;
2012 Daytona 200 winner and 2010 AMA Pro Supersport West Champion Joey Pascarella;
AMA Pro and Canadian National race winner and multi-time N2/WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Peris;
two-time AMA Pro SuperSport National Champion, British Supersport podium finisher, 2020 AFT Production Twins Champion, and 2023 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Championship runner-up James Rispoli;
2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport race winner, and Moto2 World Championship race winner Joe Roberts;
2022 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up and 2023 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship runner-up Gus Rodio;
former Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Champion and former FIM Moto2 European Championship competitor Benny Solis, Jr.;
three-time AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2009 Superbike World Champion, MotoGP race winner, and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Ben Spies;
multi-time AMA Pro race winner and four-time overall WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Ulrich;
MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher and former World Superbike competitor Jayson Uribe;
2017 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Championship runner-up, 2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Cory Ventura;
Canadian Superbike race winner Alex Welsh;
former AMA Pro Superbike Rookie of the Year, Chinese Superbike Championship race winner, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and MotoAmerica Super Hooligan race winner Cory West;
MotoAmerica Junior Cup and Superbike Cup race winner Ashton Yates;
and two-time AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up Blake Young.
Kawasaki's 2024 Ninja 500 is based heavily on the Ninja 400 that it supersedes, produces more power with very little extra weight and costs the same. Photo by Kevin Wing/courtesy Kawasaki.
Kawasaki’s Ninja 400 is one of the best-selling sportbikes in the world, so Kawasaki marketeers and engineers had to tread carefully when they upgraded the machine back to a full half-liter. Customers wanted more torque and power to make riding in traffic easier and more confidence-inspiring, but didn’t want to lose the light weight, flickability, and ease of operation that made the Ninja 400 so accessible to so many riders.
The 2024 Ninja 500 is, basically, a stroked version of Kawasaki’s well-sorted small-displacement Parallel-Twin four-stroke engine. The idea was to create a smooth, flat power curve. That makes it easy for beginning and entry-level riders to access the new power, enhancing their riding experience without overwhelming them.
With new bodywork, new instrumentation and a wide variety of color schemes and accessory levels, Kawasaki wants the new Ninja 500 to continue to bring riders into the sportbike fold. The company turned journalists loose on the machines for a ride through the fabled canyon roads above Pacific Coast Highway in California, and I got a chance to ride down Memory Lane as well. I not only spent years riding exactly those canyon roads in the past, but my first dedicated racebike was also a Ninja 500 from the early 1990s …
Kawasaki’s 2024 Ninja 500 is flickable and quick, easy to ride and friendly at a moderate pace. Good rubber helps overcome many of the suspension shortcomings. Photo by Kevin Wing.
Easiest to think of the new Ninja 500 as a hot-rodded Ninja 400. Engine internals have been reworked for a longer stroke to bring the displacement to 451cc. New crankshaft, new connecting rods, new flywheel, new pistons and new cams help the upsized mill spin out a claimed 51.0 horsepower at 10,000 rpm. New airbox internals help keep the power curve nice and flat, and a new assisted slipper clutch transmits power to the 6-speed transmission.
The bodywork is new, designed to create a familial relationship with the company’s supersport Ninja models and to better protect the rider from the elements. The seat is revised, the dash upgraded on the SE models. Otherwise, it’s the familiar steel trellis frame, conventional 41mm forks and a shock adjustable for preload. The only electronic rider aid is ABS.
Kawasaki hit the mark when it came to power delivery. Aided by a smooth, progressive, ridiculously easy-to-use clutch, the bike pulled away cleanly from a stop and cruised comfortably at freeway speeds, and also spun happily to the rev limiter while running up through the gears.
The riding position is spacious and vibration is minimal, and the bodywork does a reasonable job of reducing wind blast. And it might seem like a trivial point, but Kawasaki engineers fitted a larger front brake master cylinder to provide more feel at the lever. New riders need to get comfortable using the front brake, and the Ninja 500’s front brake experience helps them get used to going for that lever. And if they panic anyway, the ABS is there to save them.
Pretty much the only downside is the too-soft damping front and rear that left the bike pogo-ing over bumps and also pitching the front end back to near full-extension after letting off the brakes. It’s common among machines in this category, and there’s a cheap and easy fix. The surprisingly good Dunlop GPR-300 radials front and rear provide excellent mid-corner traction, and on smooth, sweeping turns, the Ninja 500 is stable and quick enough to be truly entertaining.
Kawasaki says the bike’s most likely customers have less than a year of riding experience, will probably not test-ride the bike, and are looking for style and ease of use on a machine that makes them feel when commuting or riding on the highway. The Ninja 500 provides more power, more accessibly, than its predecessor, and that means less riding drama overall. It’s a bike someone new to sport riding can learn on, improve and grow with. It’s good enough to make someone a performance rider for life.
Editor at Large Michael Gougis at a track day at Willow Springs International Raceway in 2006. His personal Kawasaki Ninja 500 racebike sported a homemade belly pan fashioned from roofing materials. Photo by Caliphotography.com
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as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
